Mattress



Sept. 24, 1957 H. P. AUSTEN MATTRESS Filed Feb. 6, 1956 INVENTOR. HERMANP. AUSTEN 92 ATTORNEY- United States PatentO MATTRESS Herman P. Austen,Mountain View, Calif.

Application February 6, 1956, Serial No. 563,649

2 Claims. (Cl. 5347) This invention relates to an improved mattress ofthe type provided with openingsadaptedto supply fresh air for breathingpurposes when one is in a reclining position facing downwardly.

The present invention provides a mattress having one or more ventilatedopenings at one end which are adapted to support comfortable breathingwhen a person is lying on his stomach. The openings are of suitable sizeand shape to partially receive the face of a person lying on themattress while at the same time permitting the support on the personshead in a comfortable position. The openings in the mattress or any ofthem when not in use are adapted to be filled by suitably shaped insertshaving air channels permitting the circulation of outside air throughthe particular opening or openings then being used for breathingpurposes.

A mattress of the type embodying the present invention makes it possiblefor a person to lie comfortably face down and at the same time beassured of fresh circulating air for breathing purposes. It is desirablefor several reasons to sleep in a downwardly facing position, butheretofore mattresses in common use have not embodied constructionswhich have made it possible to lie comfortably in such a position forany appreciable length of time and at the same time be continuouslysupplied with fresh air for healthful breathing. Sleeping in adownwardly facing position allows the throat and nasal tissues tonaturally assume positions permitting easy breathing, thereby tending toeliminate snoring. It is also well known that the digestive organs andthe heart function better when one is lying on his stomach in acomfortable downwardly facing position wherein breathing is notrestricted or otherwise affected by a lack of fresh air.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved mattresshaving one or more suitably shaped openings at one end which are eachsupplied with circulating air and are of such a size and shape as topermit the comfortable support of the head of a person lying face downon the mattress.

Another object of my invention is to provide a mattress having aplurality of openings of the kind characterized which may be selectivelyclosed by removable inserts having air channels permitting thecirculation of air to any of the openings which might be in use tosupport breathing for one or more occupants then lying face down on themattress.

Other and further objects of my invention will be pointed outhereinafter or will be indicated in the appended claims or will beobvious to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the presentdisclosure. For the purpose of this application, I have elected to showherein certain forms and details of a mattress which is representativeof my invention; it is to be understood, however, that the embodiment ofmy invention herein shown and described is for purposes of illustrationonly and therefore is not to be regarded as exhaustive of the variationsof the invention in the art.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of a mattress embodying myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the inserts adapted to fit insideone of the openings in the mattress.

Referring to the drawing which is illustrative of the principles of myinvention, the numeral 1 designates a mattress of single or doubleWidth, made from sponge rubber or any other suitable material, andpreferably having substantially the same thickness throughout.

The mattress near one of its ends is formed with a plurality of suitablyshaped spaced openings 2 which are arranged preferably in transversealignment. The openings 2, for illustration purposes, are shown on thedrawings as having a somewhat oval shape and having a depth extending topoints above the bottom surface of the mattress but below a longitudinalplane passing centrally and horizontally therethrough. The openings 2are preferably of the same size and shape and each is suitably enlargednear its upper end to provide an oval shaped curved shoulder 3 forming asmooth surface against which a part of a persons face may rest when heor she is in a reclining face down position on the mattress, as shown bythe broken lines in Fig. 3. The openings 2 and the shoulders 3 are ofsufficient size and shape to permit a persons face to be supported sohis or her nose and mouth extend into an opening without coming intocontact with the mattress. It is to be noted that the openings 2 mayembody other suitable shapes, but it is to be preferred that each beformed with a properly shaped face engaging surface or shoulder 3 nearits upper end which will comfortably support a persons head when lyingface down on the mattress.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a number of inserts 4 ofsponge rubber or other suitable material which are shaped to fit snuglyinside the openings 2 with their upper sides flush with the uppersurface of the mattress.

So as to provide for the free circulation of fresh air through each ofthe openings 2 for breathing purposes, I provide the mattress withconnecting horizontal transverse air channels 5, the outer two of whichextend from the lateral sides of the mattress to the two openingsadjacent such lateral sides. In addition, the mattress is provided witha number of air channels 6 extending from that end of the mattresslocated nearest the openings 2 to and in communication with suchopenings. The air channels 5 and 6 lie preferably in a common horizontalplane, and they communicate with the openings 2 at points near the lowerends of the latter, and air from outside is free to circulate throughthose openings which do not happen to be closed by the inserts 4. So asto allow the outside air to reach and circulate through one or moreopenings 2 even though one or more of the others might be closed by aninsert or inserts 4, each of the inserts is formed with intersecting airchannels 5a and 6a which are so arranged that they communicaterespectively with the air channels 5 and 6 of the mattress. The inserts4 are constructed so they are interchangeable with respect to theopenings 2.

While the mattress shown on the drawing is adapted for use with a doublebed and is provided with four (4) openings 2, it is to be understoodthat such a mattress may have only two (2) of such openings or even one(1), if so desired. Similarly the width of the mattress may be such thatit fits a single bed, and if so desired, such mattress may have eitherone or two openings 2 with suitable interconnecting air channels.

. p g 3 Whatl claimis:

1. A mattress of the kind characterized comprising a mattress bodycapable of supporting a person in a re- Qlmposiu'on and having, one end:portion formed with a plurality of spaced openings, each extending fromthe Psi-m fl-SRII body ma point adjacent but above the bottom surfacethereof, the said openings each being it will sit, and chip: zto'recu'veat least the nose portion of a persons face, a plurality of transverseair the. waning: with each other and with the sidood es of the mattressbody, and removable illm MI iltfl ald filing one minute of the openings,

channels encoding through the :inserts and ar- M lotion with thetransverse air channels. 1 .2. A moms DI the characterized comprising amattress incapable-1o! supporting a :person in a reoli'm and one endportion formed with o plmhy of spaced opening: ,each extending from thetwo: llrlaoeof thc'mnttnss body to a point near but Me thebottomfllrince thereof, the said-openings being i! sin and lhapo toreceive at least 'the nose portion of I periods hoe, a plurality oftransverse air the openings with each other and References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,542,674 Darling June 16,1925 1,548,728 Milan Aug. 4, 1925 2,244,435 Simons June 3, 1 9412,371,788 Weeber w. Mar. 20, 1945 2,461,062 l Feb. 8-, 1949 2,570,736 1one; Oct. 9, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 842,385 Germany Mme-fiche.- June 26,1952

